Premier Li Qiang announced a 7% defense budget increase to $276.8B at the National People's Congress as China aims for military modernization by 2035.The move comes as Xi Jinping oversees a high-profile anti-corruption purge that removed senior generals Zhang Youxia and He Weidong.These dismissals leave the Central Military Commission severely depleted with only Zhang Shengmin remaining alongside the president.While the
USA remains the top spender,
China's expenditure is the world's second largest and now accounts for nearly 44% of military spending in Asia.